350 Palestinian Minors Behind Israeli Bars

RAMALLAH — Some 350 Palestinian children, including 12 girls, under age 18 are being held in Israeli occupation prisons, a statement by the Palestinian Prisoners' Club said Saturday.

Marking the United Nations Universal Children's Day, the club said it has documented more than 2000 arrest cases since 2015, most of which took place in the occupied city of Jerusalem.

Palestinian youngsters languishing in Israeli prisons are being subjected to all forms of violations and ill-treatment during a child's arrest and interrogation, including torture, interrogation, beatings, humiliation, insults, and being deprived of food and drink as well as extracting forced confession, the statement added.

The report recalled the Palestinian child, Ahmad Manasrah, 14, who was sentenced by Israeli court to 12 years in prison well as fines of around 180,000 Israeli Shekel (USD47,200 USD).

The club renewed calls for international organizations human rights bodies mainly the UNICEF, to exert more efforts to protect Palestinian children.